Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Homeward bound

The quarter-finals all now over, our interest in Euro 2012 has been extinguished. As many would have predicted, Spain proved too strong for France, cantering to a 2-0 victory. Dreamboat played the whole game and registered les Bleus' only effort on target, a free-kick that Iker Casillas saved. Afterwards, he reflected on a tournament that was a personal triumph but ultimately one which ended in frustration. Over the course of France's fixtures he emerged as their midfield lynchpin, underlining just what a steal he was for us at £4.5m last summer but also effectively advertising his abilities to the whole of Europe...

HBA, meanwhile, didn't get on to the pitch in Donetsk. Rumours abounded of a bust-up in the French camp in the wake of the defeat to Sweden - Man City's Samir Nasri was mentioned most frequently, but HBA's name cropped up a bit too, so perhaps our mercurial wizard has shot himself in his twinkle toes as far as his international career is concerned.

England, meanwhile, exited in entirely predictable fashion, a heroically awful 0-0 against Italy concluding with the customary shoot-out defeat. Scott Parker was culpable for allowing Andrea Pirlo the freedom of the pitch to pull strings, while James Milner was equally ineffective. Rocky did at least demonstrate an ability to get the ball down and bring others into play after he appeared as a substitute, but as an attacking force England were non-existent. Still, at least the exit means no one has to endure what would certainly be a humiliation at the hands of Germany.